


Yaruki: Motivation

by RedPineTrees



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Family, Fluff, Gen, Multiple Pairings, Original Character(s), POV Third Person, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedPineTrees/pseuds/RedPineTrees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Yaruki clan is a lesser known clan residing in Konohagakure, known for their hard working attitude and perseverance. Ever since their founding, they have taken in those in need of a proper family, and thus many members of the clan are adopted with no blood relation. </p>
<p>When a child is left without their parents, it seems like this clan is always ready to welcome them into their family with open arms.</p>
<p>This is the story of a clan of original characters living alongside and helping the characters we know and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

****

Somewhere, a bell chimed near the neighborhood of the Yaruki Clan, signaling that it was half past eleven thirty at night, just a few days after the new year began. The streets were dark, the only light coming from dim oil lamps hung up on poles in front of the houses. Not even the moon shone through the thick blanket of snow clouds, though the freezing and fast moving air suggested that perhaps before the night was over, the village would be blessed by the sight of it. There was an eerie silence whenever the snow fell, and no one was ever quite sure what to make of it. The only sounds that could be heard came from a silver haired man and his brunette partner, whose geta sandals crunched into the fresh snow as they walked. The fine silk of their kimono swished gently around their legs, and puffs of white air exited their mouths as they breathed contentedly, not making a hurry to get to their destination.

 

~

 

From inside one of the many large houses in the street, a young, lanky man no older than twenty and his petite wife of the same age sat comfortably in their living room, listening to the fire crackle as their month old daughter suckled on her mother's breast. Not an hour before then, they had just finished meeting with the head of another clan and his family. The men had sake together, while the women chatted about things like motherhood and their past occupations as ninja. The children had sat in peace with each other, one being just over thirty days old and the other just over five years old.

 

Now that their friendly visit was over, the man and his wife planned on going to bed as soon as their daughter was finished eating. Though, just as the man, Kazuo Yaruki, stood to add another log to the roaring fire, the bell that sat in front their entrance rang. It was a sweet, twinkling sound that reminded him of a bird chirping, though at that time of night, it was a little unsettling sound to hear. His wife, Miki, froze up, looking at her husband with concern clear on her face. He smiled warmly, as if silently telling her not to worry, and made his way to the front entrance. When he sensed the familiar chakra, he gasped, pushing open the door to the genkan hurriedly.

 

There before him stood the silver haired Akihiko, his old teacher and good friend. Beside him was his tall partner, who was fondly known as Bunny. Akihiko chuckled at the shocked expression on his former student's face before speaking.

 

“Hello to you as well, Kazuo-kun. I'm sorry for barging in at this time of night,” he said, his voice soft and pleasant. Kazuo suddenly burst into a huge smile, glad to see his teacher for the first time in months.

 

“Akihiko-sensei, and Bunny-san as well! Come on in, Miki is going to be so excited to see you,” the young man said, his voice eager and his features cleansed of any sense of drowsiness he might have had. His prediction was right, as his wife immediately brightened up when she saw the tall men enter the living room to join her.

 

“This must be your new baby,” Akihiko began after their pleasantries were exchanged. “What did you decide to name her?”

 

“Shinju, meaning pearl,” Miki hummed, smiling down at her baby fondly.

 

“That is a beautiful name. It's simple,” Bunny said quietly, smiling at at the small blonde woman.

 

“Pearl, huh? One that shines like the moon, I hope.”

 

“We hoped she would shine like the sun, actually. I mean, sensei, look at her hair. Doesn't it remind you of the red sun we'd see at dusk after training?” Kazuo asked, pointing out that their newborn daughter had bright orange hair, which was a peculiar sight. It was one Akihiko hadn't seen in some time. He glanced over at Bunny, who had a particularly soft spot for small babies, so his eyes had lit up with delight from the first moment he saw little Shinju.

 

“Indeed it does. Didn't each of your mothers have orange hair before they aged?” Akihiko asked, wearing a thoughtful expression.

 

“Yes! And both of our mothers had fortune telling abilities. We wonder if this ability has been passed on to Shinju,” Kazuo responded, looking towards his child then.

 

“Perhaps. Even if she does not have such abilities, she is beautiful, and I can tell from just glancing at her she will grow to be a strong shinobi. That's why I'm here, actually.” Akihiko's tone of voice suddenly changed, sounding less casual and more serious. Kazuo and Miki blinked, looking confused. The silver haired man was always one to jump from one subject to another without any warning. It still surprised Kazuo from time to time how his teacher could be, even after all those years.

 

“I've decided that I am going to take on your child as an apprentice once she is old enough. You were a very good student to me, Kazuo, but I do regret having not met you sooner. There are some techniques I possess that must be taught at an early age. I believe that Shinju will be the perfect apprentice for me, since I already have a relationship with her clan.” He paused, looking between the slightly shocked parents. “I come to tell you of this now, because I overheard my brother talking about possibly wanting an apprentice, and I wanted to begin letting everyone know, starting with you two, that I have already laid claim on her as her teacher. I'm a bit selfish, and I hope you will forgive me for that.”

 

At first, the new parents were completely speechless. They looked at each other, and then at their peacefully sleeping daughter, eyes wide. As new parents, of course they considered the possibilities of who she might choose to become in life, but they had never really thought that Kazuo's renowned teacher would come back to Konoha simply to train their child.

 

“Akihiko-sensei, why not consult the Uchiha Clan for an apprentice? Our clan is made up of civilians, people with no kekkei genkai or very special abilities,” Kazuo said, his dark brown eyes narrowing behind his glasses. As soon as he uttered the name Uchiha, Akihiko's pleasant smile disappeared.

 

“That clan is nothing but trouble. They are arrogant, and I have no good feelings about them. I would much rather choose a child from the Yaruki clan, who are known for their kindness and their hardworking attitude. I have made my decision, and the only thing that could sway my choice is if she does not want me as her teacher,” he said, his eyes shifting to the sleeping child. Kazuo looked to Miki, wanting to see what she thought. After a heavy pause, the blonde haired woman looked up, nodding to her husband. He smiled at her before looking to Akihiko, nodding.

 

“We understand. We're honored you would even consider our child, sensei,” Kazuo said, bowing his head slightly.

  
“She was the first child who came to mind when I began thinking of taking on a new apprentice. I feel she holds quite a bit of potential. I have a feeling she will surpass both of you, in more ways than one.”


	2. The Night the Fox Appeared

No one could have anticipated what happened on the night of October 10th that same year.

 

Kudaru and Isao, the twelve year old prodigies of the Yaruki clan, were on an evening ANBU patrol, walking side by side in silence together. Suddenly, Kudaru stopped in her tracks, looking around. Isao turned to look at her, halting his own steps as well and following her gaze only to be looking up at the full moon. It hung so bright in the sky that it drowned out the light of any other stars that may have accompanied it. The air was cool, but unsettling with its stillness. Anxiety prickled at Kudaru's back, and for a reason she wasn't completely sure of.

 

“What is it?”

 

“... Doesn't something feel off about tonight?” she asked, her hands balling into fists. Isao removed his gaze from the moon to look at his sister, his concerned expression covered by his mask.

 

“What do you mean?” he replied carefully, hearing a tone in her voice he didn't particularly like. They could speak however they wanted when their masks were on, but with their faces covered, they didn't know who exactly could be lurking around the corner, listening to their conversation. They needed to keep professional.

 

“Something just... It just feels wrong. We need to go check on the family.” She began to sound more panicked, and looked straight at him. Though they couldn't see each other’s eyes, he knew she was staring at him with a fierce gaze. He stiffened, a frown tugging at his lips.

 

“Don't be an idiot. We have orders to patrol a certain route. We will eventually get there anyway.” He turned away from her, annoyed at how seemingly ridiculous she was being.

 

“Isao, do you really not feel how wrong the energy in the village is?” Kudaru's voice upped in volume, the feeling getting more nagging that something was terribly and completely wrong. Her brother was the one being ridiculous, she thought.

 

“I feel that it's off, but I think you're overreacting.”

 

At that moment, they heard what sounded like a loud explosion, louder than any paper bomb they had heard. They whipped their heads in the direction of the sound, eyes widening. There was an incredible amount of dust in the air, but once it settled a bit, they could see the cause clearly. Towering over the buildings not too far from where they were was something they had only studied about.

 

The Nine Tailed Fox.

 

The siblings’ blood went cold immediately, and it felt like their hearts were nestled in their stomachs. A feeling of dread washed over the both of them, but as soon as that feeling came, it was gone, replaced by adrenaline and anger. No, the feeling of dread was replaced with a want to protect their family. They thought of their siblings, and their new niece who had just been born. Without speaking, the two turned to each other, bumping their fists together.

 

“Don't die, Kudaru,” the brother said first, looking up at their target and already running through a list of plans on what to do. His first priority was make sure he and his sister didn't die, so they could live to tell the tale.

 

“You don't either, Isao,” the sister replied, closing her eyes for the briefest of moments before opening them, her sharingan activated. She was shocked at the sight of the beast with her improved vision, but the surprise didn't stay for long. She had more important things to worry about than what it's chakra looked like.

 

“Let's do this.” They moved and spoke simultaneously, jumping to the building in front of them with ease. Looking up at how huge the Nine Tails was, they frowned.

 

“Wait. How the hell are we going to do this?!”

 

~

 

Kazuo was ushering the members of his clan into their underground compound, specifically used for situations such as this one. Like all other available shinobi, he would have to go and help fend off the beast that suddenly appeared as soon as he was done, and his emotions were conflicting. He wanted to be with his family and protect them, but he had a duty to the village he just couldn't ignore. He looked to his younger brother, Kenji, and they shared the same look for a moment. There was something else he, and perhaps the rest of the clan, was worried about.

 

Isao and Kudaru.

 

Despite the fact they were geniuses, and members of the elite ANBU Black Ops, they were only children. Kazuo and Kenji knew for a fact they had been patrolling the streets of Konoha that night. They would be one of the first to stop the beast from doing any more damage than what was already done. Seeing her sons’ worried expressions, their mother Masami came over to the two of them.

 

“My loves, don't worry. We will be just fine here, and we will pray you return to us safely. Isao and Kudaru are strong, stronger than both of you, so trust them.” She smiled softly. The two young men visibly relaxed, glad that their mother always knew just what to say.

 

“Thanks mom,” they hummed gratefully. With that, Kenji turned to head out the door, not wanting to make their exit a big scene that would only invoke more worry, but Kazuo quickly went over to his wife and child. He pecked Miki on the lips before resting his forehead on hers.

 

“I can't make any promises that I'll return, but I'll try to. If I don't come back, raise our child well for the both of us,” he whispered, biting back tears. Miki smiled sadly up at him, the edges of her eyes already red from the mere thought that her husband of only two years may not come back to her.

 

“Of course. Be safe, and don't do anything reckless unless the situation absolutely calls for it,” she told him. He nodded, kissing his daughter's head before turning around and leaving without another word.

 

~

 

The door to the underground compound opened hours later, revealing four of the Yaruki clan members. Kenji and Isao stood in front, while Kudaru and Kazuo hung back a few paces. Of course, everyone in the clan was relieved to see them, but there was a dark, grim expression on Kenji and Isao's faces.

 

“The Fourth Hokage and his wife, Kushina, are dead,” Isao said, taking his mask off and placing it on his hip. Kenji's eyes were already filled with tears, and as he heard his little brother speak, he looked down at the floor, unable to contain himself. The rest of the clan stared at them in shock, completely speechless.

 

Hearing of her friend's death, Miki's eyes filled with tears. Wanting her husband to come and be near her, she stared at him, confused why he wasn't making his way towards her. Then, hearing a baby's whimper, she looked down at Shinju, who was fast asleep and content. That was not Shinju's noise. She blinked, looking back over to Kudaru and Kazuo.

 

“However,” Isao suddenly started again, looking back at his siblings. “Their son, Naruto, has survived. Sarutobi-sama rescued him, and begged that the Yaruki clan look after him, despite the fact he now houses the demon fox.” Kudaru stepped forward as he finished, holding the baby carefully in her arms. Kazuo was practically glued to her, almost as if he was worried she was going to drop the infant.

 

“I told him we would. We can raise Naruto alongside Shinju, and they will be siblings. We will tell him of his heritage once he is old enough to truly understand, but as we did for Kudaru and many of our other clan members. We will simply love and raise him to the best of our abilities.” Kazuo looked to his wife, who only nodded in approval. It was sudden, extremely so, but it was ultimately best choice.

 

“Stupid husband. Were you worried any of us would have an opposition to this?” She sighed. The younger family members looked eager at the sound of a new little nephew, and the older members looked proud.

 

“... Just a bit. I mean, after all, he does have the Nine Tailed Fox sealed inside him.” Kazuo rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish.

  
“He himself is not the fox! If other people don't understand that, then they are complete idiots!” She huffed angrily at the thought. Kushina, while she had housed the fox within her, was nothing like the feral beast. She beckoned for Kudaru to bring Naruto over to her. The younger girl nodded, walking over slowly. When they sat right in front of each other, Miki handed Shinju over to Masami before taking the blond baby in her arms. He was asleep, blissfully unaware of anything that had happened within the past few hours. When he grew older, he wouldn't even remember the night, Miki thought to herself. It was better that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, big thanks to MusicPrincess655 for help with betaing!
> 
> Find me on tumblr at redarmyknife!


	3. And so they were siblings

It was five years later when light streamed into the bedroom where the two children slept, Naruto spread out on the futon while Shinju was curled up into a ball, hogging all the blankets. Half asleep, Naruto tugged at them, but Shinju would not let up her grip. He sat up, blonde hair a mess and grumbling angrily while he untangled one of the many blankets around her. He then wrapped it around his own shoulders, glaring at her.

 

“Shinju, wake up. It's morning,” he yawned, poking her shoulder. The redhead rolled onto her back, stretching out wide with a disgruntled noise.

 

“It's too early...” she whined, flailing around animatedly. Naruto nodded in agreement, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

“It's no use just laying around here!! Can we get ready for the day?” he asked. Shinju smiled, getting to her feet.

 

“Yup! Let's roll up our futons, and then we can wash our faces, then we'll get dressed,” she said, being the organized one of the two.

 

“Then we'll have breakfast? Don't forget breakfast.”

 

“I wouldn't forget breakfast, silly. Maybe we can have fresh fruit from grandpa's garden with breakfast!”

 

“Yeah!”

 

The two children carefully worked together in folding their futons up, then sliding them on to the shelves, up and out of the way. They high fived when they finished, their little hands making a quiet clapping sound. Giggling quietly, they made their way down the hallway, entering the washroom. The house was completely quiet, notifying the two that they were up much earlier than usual.

 

First, Shinju stood up on a stool facing the sink, washing her face with a nice smelling soap and cold water. Then was Naruto, copying his sister's movements before jumping down from the stool and rubbing his face with a towel.

 

“You're supposed to pat your face dry, silly!” she sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

 

“That takes longer!”

 

“No it doesn't.”

 

“Yes it does!”

 

“Shh! You're going to wake up Tamotsu, and if he wakes up grumpy mama and papa aren't gonna be happy.” They both paused, waiting for any sound from their younger, toddler brother who had slept in their parents room that night. He migrated from room to room, depending on how he felt. If he was very tired, he would go to their parents room, since they weren't likely to be loud and excited in the morning like Shinju and Naruto could be. On nights where he wasn't as tired, and he wanted to be read a story, he would join his older siblings and make the eldest daughter read to him until he fell asleep.

 

Once back in their room, the two changed from pajamas to their normal everyday clothes, facing away from each other as they did so. Once they were each finished, Shinju brushed Naruto's hair, making it so it didn't look as messy from sleeping. Naruto in return brushed her own short hair, the orange curls bouncing back around her chin when he was finished. They looked in the mirror together, blue eyes meeting a slightly darker blue before nodding in approval. They were ready for the day!

 

Wait.

 

Something was missing, Shinju thought. She looked around the sunlit room, frowning, until she found what she was looking for.

 

“Aha! Naruto, you were missing your goggles! I thought something was off!” she said, rushing over to grab them. He waited patiently as she came back over, and bowed his head so she could put them on. “Now we're ready. Let's go to grandpa's house and see if there's any fruit we can pick for today's breakfast,”

 

“Alright! I'll race you there!”

 

“H-Hey, no fair!!”

 

~

  
  


“So when we were in grandpa's garden, we saw this huuuge snake! It was all gray and stuff! I bet it could've eaten me,” Naruto was excitedly telling his parents the story of Shinju and his encounter in the garden, though his details were a little skewed.

 

“It wasn't that big, really. But it was really pretty, so we stopped to look at it while it slithered away,” Shinju said, making a slithering motion with her body by wiggling her shoulders. Kazuo and Miki laughed while they made breakfast together, watching when Tamotsu, their youngest, imitated the movement with a scowl on his face. Soon, the three siblings stood together, wiggling their shoulders from side to side with a stern expression. After a few seconds, they were a pile on the floor, giggling at how ridiculous they must have looked.

 

“Well, it sounds like you two have already had quite the adventure this morning. Perhaps we won't even have to go to the market like I planned, you two may be too exhausted.” Miki feigned disappointment, watching as her eldest children's eyes grew wide.

 

“No! We're full of energy!” Naruto exclaimed, sitting straight up in his seat. Shinju nodded in agreement. While their father was off on missions, Miki, Shinju, Naruto, and Tamotsu would go on errands together, call on their families for visits, or do chores around the house. One of their favorite activities was going to the market to pick out food for meals, since there was often so much to choose from.

 

“Are you sure?” Miki drawled the question out, grinning. She and Kazuo served each child their hearty breakfast. It consisted of a steaming bowl of rice each, a serving of the fresh strawberries they picked, a bowl of hot miso soup, and fried local river fish. This was a common breakfast for their family, but one they always enjoyed.

 

“We're sure!” the two exclaimed, though their attention was then directed at the food they were being served. Once their parents were seated at the table, they counted down from three, and simultaneously said,

 

“Thank you for the meal!”

 

With that, the meal began, and there was hardly any talking from their children, who hungrily ate their food, excitement present on their faces from the news they were going to the market later that day. Tamotsu was a little more subdued, but he still had a smile on his face as he ate.

 

A few minutes later, when they were finished eating, Naruto and Shinju were assigned the task of washing the dishes while their parents sat and chat about the events for the day. Tamotsu was given the dried dishes and put them away in each drawer, happy to be helping. The bell at their front entrance rang suddenly, and the family stopped what they were doing, blinking.

 

“Ah, Akihiko-sensei must be back from his trip,” Kazuo said, standing up to go get the door. Hardly anyone paid any mind to the bell except for Akihiko, so it was an educated guess. Though as he made his way down the hallway, the energy he felt confirmed it. He smiled warmly, knowing how excited his children would be. He slid open the door to the genkan, revealing his teacher standing in his usual training outfit with his long silver hair tied back in a bun.

 

“Good morning, Kazuo-kun. How are you?” he greeted, bowing only slightly. Kazuo returned the bow more deeply, showing his respect for his teacher even though they spoke casually to each other.

 

“I'm well, thank you! And yourself? How did your trip go?”

 

“Excellently. I have returned in good health and mind, so I am ready to resume teaching Shinju. Is she here?” Almost as if he has performed a summoning jutsu, Shinju popped out, Naruto following close behind.

 

“Sensei!” they cried out, wrapping themselves around his legs and looking up at him. Akihiko smiled at their enthusiasm, patting both their heads. He didn't miss when little three year old Tamotsu peaked out from around the door, waving at him.

 

“Good morning, Shinju, Naruto, Tamotsu. Already awake and ready for the day I see, good job!” he praised, watching their eyes fill with more excitement.

 

“Thank you sensei!” they said together, their smiles bright.

 

“Akihiko-sensei, are you here so I can come train with you today?” Shinju asked. The older man nodded.

 

“I am. Are you prepared?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Good. Go get your backpack, and then we will leave for the day. Don't worry about packing a lunch.” He watched as she dashed back into the house before looking down at Naruto, who's expression was terribly disappointed. When he was old enough to understand, Akihiko explained that Shinju was being taught many secret ninjutsu, and they must stay in tranquility for her to focus. Shinju of course always came home and taught Naruto whatever techniques she was allowed to show him, making the evenings after she trained very interesting in their house. “Naruto, I'm sorry you can't come along. But I have a feeling you have a mission of your own today. Do you?”

 

“I do! I'm going with mama and Tamotsu to the market,” Naruto said, though he didn't sound satisfied. Akihiko glanced at Kazuo, who was watching them with an amused expression.

 

“Ah, I see. That is indeed an important job. You must go with them and keep them safe, do you hear me? Since your father will be working, and I will be training your sister, you must be the best ninja you can be!” Akihiko said enthusiastically. Kazuo shook his head, unsure of how his sensei always knew how to raise anyone's spirits. It was like Naruto was a flower that had just been watered, he perked up and was full of energy and determination.

  
“I will! I'll protect them with my life!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Beta: MusicPrincess655 (love you grace)
> 
> Find me on tumblr at redarmyknife!

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to MusicPrincess655 for betaing this fic! 
> 
> All of these original characters are based off real people from my group of friends. I originally started writing this fanfiction of a random whim, and began to think "Huh, this could really help me improve my writing skill."
> 
> So here I am! I hope you enjoyed. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, and make sure to check me out on tumblr at redamyknife!


End file.
